It's a sports story, a futuristic dystopia story, a juvie camp story and a story that mocks consumer culture. It explores Big Ideas, about government and free will and safety vs. freedom, but without ever feeling like a Frying Pan, and without ever feeling heavy. It's rare for a book to be both thoughtful and thrilling.

I suspect that some readers might complain that it's a bit... slight, but I rather think that it's less slight than subtle. It reads like it's just meandering along, but there's a lot going on under the surface: in Kelleigh's own self, in her family, and within her friendships.

Recommended to those who like crime stories, Gail Giles' suspense novels, or writing that is spare and taut. Also recommended to those who are intrigued by the idea of an older, grittier Maniac Magee who combats meth heads instead of racism.

I'm not a huge fan of Jane Austen's Emma Woodhouse (the character, not the book), so it isn't surprising that for almost the entire duration of this book, I wanted to slap Lita silly. After all, Emma's kind of her role model.